Opinion: It is crucial the U.S. continues strong defense against terrorism

by Boris Epshteyn, Chief Political Analyst

Changing the Guard at Kennewick's 9/11 memorial on the 16th anniversary of the terror attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D.C.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Boris Epshteyn formerly served as a Senior Advisor to the Trump Campaign and served in the White House as Special Assistant to The President and Assistant Communications Director for Surrogate Operations.

WASHINGTON (Sinclair Broadcast Group) - This week, and every day since September 11, 2001, we honor all those who lost their lives in the horrific terrorist attacks in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania.

It has been 16 years since 2001 but the threat of terrorism has not diminished. We continue to be under constant threat of attack.

Our country has endured terror in San Bernardino, Boston, Orlando, among others. Thankfully, we have not experienced an attack on the scale of 9/11. That does not mean they are not being planned by those who hate our way of life and democratic traditions.

Al Qaeda, ISIS and other terrorist organizations have carried out vicious attacks in Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia in recent years. They use new technology to inspire people to commit atrocities in the U.S. and across the globe.

President Trump has vowed to bring the fight directly to these radical murderous forces.

“Victory will have a clear definition, attacking our enemies, obliterating ISIS, crushing al Qaeda, preventing the Taliban from taking over Afghanistan and stopping mass terror attacks against America before they emerge," Trump said in a recent speech.

Here’s the bottom line: it is crucial that the U.S. always stands strong against threats to our freedom. We have to cut off funding to the terrorists, prevent them from having access to latest technologies and, of course, continue our commitment to physically eradicating them from Afghanistan and other hotbeds of radicalism.